Floating like a Sinking Boat
by xxVictorious
Summary: "do you remember how to walk?" "I can't see my feet, and it's all your fault." Drabbles of the 9 months leading into their daughter's birth. Prequel-esk to "You Were Born in a Palace by the Seine"
1. 40 weeks

**Disclaimer: I still unfortunately do not own anything.**

She was still so thin, that was something Dmitry noticed on the daily. He wasn't sure if it was just the way she was built, though pictures never showed the tsarina this thing, or if years and years of starvation permanently changed her body.

It wasn't as if they didn't have enough to eat anymore, that certainly wasn't the case. Dima brought baked goods home daily for his wife. Recently, it was croissants that blew her mind. She could easily eat eight or nine in a single sitting. That was a newer development though.

Now though, and Dmitry would never admit it, she was just very off balanced at the moment. He looked up from pictures he had been looking through, of her family actually, and watch as his wife paced back and forth, mumbling seemingly to herself.

"Are you trying to wear a hole in the floor, Anya?" He smirked, taking a bite from an apple that was resting on the table.

Anya let out an indignant noise, turning to face him. Vlad joked that she was as wide as she was tall now, her stomach large with the baby who should have joined them days ago by her count.

"I can't see my feet, Dima." Anya whined, looking up at him with desperate etched on her face.

"Do you remember how to walk?" Dmitry teased, quirking his head at her. "Or even how to lift your feet?" He watched as his tiny wife sort of…waddled.. back and forth across the kitchen rather than walk.

"You aren't funny. Nana said that it's head is just right between my hips and so it makes it really hard to walk!" She groaned, resting her hand on the table. "This is all your fault, anyway."

"My fault? This is not my fault."

"It's absolutely your fault, Dima! You with your wondering hands and your stupid attractive smile, and your cocky mouth, and your 'come on Anya, no one will notice if we sneak away from a few minutes.'" Anya mocked in an imitation of his voice.

"You weren't complaining about my hands or my mouth when this happened." He pointed out, taking another bite from the red apple. "Or just about any other point before then. Or after then. This is the first complaint I've heard."

"You aren't funny, Dmitry. She should have come out days ago! But here she is, being stubborn, and making it impossible for me to walk. Or sleep." Anya whined, her hand running over her abdomen with a tired smile.

"Stubborn. Wonder where he gets that from, huh?"

"SHE gets it from you, of course. I just needed another one of you in my life to make it more difficult."

"Or HE gets it from the charming little girl who used to terrorize her kitchen staff as a toddler."

"She's a girl, Dima. If only she'd just come out and prove you wrong.." Anya sighed, letting out a groan when she felt something- a foot, probably, kick her sharply in the ribs. "If you could tell her she isn't fighting on the streets of Petersburg, I'd appreciate it."

Dmitry turned to the side, opening an arm and patted his knee as an open invitation. Anya slowly made her way over, delicately propping herself on his knee.

"I'm a boat."

"A sinking boat, but a cute one."

"Dmitry!"

He shook his head, kissing her cheek quickly. "I'm kidding. You're beautiful."

"And you're a liar. But thank you." Anya leaned her head on his shoulder, stifling a small whimper against his neck. "Talk to her. Please. I think I just rile her up."

"Maybe he just gets mad that you're calling him 'she'." Dmitry's hand ran over her side, smiling slightly when he felt the movement. "What if you calculated it wrong and he's meant to stay in there for another month?"

"Dmitry, if that happens, I'll just have to kill you."

**Just a short little drabble. I think I'll do 9 months worth of these? A collection of short drabbles leading into "Born in a Palace by the Seine"**


	2. six months

**Disclaimer: What a shock, I still own nothing.**

"You know, Anastasia, sitting like that is going to give the baby a flat head."

Anya dropped the cookie she had in her hand, head snapping to Dmitry. He coughed so hard she was sure he had inhaled hot coffee too quickly. She sat her hands politely on the dining room table, blinking rapidly at her grandmother.

"Excuse me, Nana?"

"Oh it's what happened to Olga. I warned your mother, and did she listen? Of course she didn't." Nana shook her head in disapproval, delicately taking a sip of tea. "And eating all those sweets is going to make the baby fat, my dear, and I can assure you that you don't want that. You're already looking a little heavy yourself."

This time Dmitry's jaw dropped. "She was starving in the streets for ten years. And you're trying to tell me that she looks 'heavy'?" He snapped at the woman, harsher than he had a year ago at the ballet. "She's going to have a baby you bitter old-"

"it's okay, Dima." Anya's hand grabbed his hand quickly, squeezing it tightly as a cue to quiet himself quickly.

At the other end of the table, Vlad had gone white as the Russian snow, and quickly excused himself.

"Dmitry you really shouldn't-" Lily warned, shaking her head very quickly at him out of sight of the dowager.

"They're right, Dmitry. After all, you'll be the one to suffer if it comes out too big, after all."

"NANA." Anya's jaw dropped in disbelief, standing up at the table. "I don't really think that is any of your business."

"Nonsense, Anastasia, I told your mother the same thing, and look, there were four more of you after Olga." Maria told them with all the confidence in the world, redirecting her attention to the French paper she had been reading. "she clearly took my advice."

"This can't be happening…" Anya mumbled, shaking her head and running a hand down her face. "Come on, Dima. Your small house of a wife would like to go home." Anya turned and left the room quickly, so no one would see the tears filling her eyes. 

Dmitry stood, glaring at the old woman. "How can you be so cruel to your only grandchild."

"it's the way life is for royalty. Impressions are everything." She waved off, taking another sip of tea.

"that's not the life she chose. She doesn't deserve the snide remarks. If you were half as cruel to her mother no wonder she didn't like you very much. Anya deserves better than the wicked remarks you have for her." He hissed. "But we both know this isn't about her, is it. You still don't like that she chose a penniless street rat over you and your life of royalty."

"Anastasia is the last of my family. Excuse me if I want nothing but the best for the Romanov line. If we were still in power, she would be half that size. What is she, five, six months along?

She should still be in corsets. But instead she's running around in summer dresses."

"Six, Maria. She has been struggling for six months, and maybe if you actually paid attention to her as a person, as YOUR grandchild, you would know." He reminded her harshly, his hand gripping the back of the fine wooden chair tightly. "She's tired and sore and constantly just trying to be happy for everyone else. She's put on a show for you since you met Anya."

"I have known Anastasia for twenty eight years, young man, and-"

"But she's Anya now. And she just wants her only family to love her and support her when she needs it most!" He slammed the chair into the table as he pushed it in. "And that baby isn't a Romanov heir for the taking. He's mine, too."

He stormed out of the parlor, disregarding the look of shock on Lily's face.

He found Anya in the hall, Vlad's arms wrapped around her petite shoulders. Her whole body was shaking with the sobs she was stifling against his chest. He stepped forward to wrap his arms around her, turning her upper body against his shoulder instead. Dmitry gave Vlad a nod to say it was okay to go, and in thanks. Vlad clapped him on the shoulder gently. "I know you don't see it, but you deserve her, you know."

Dmitry ran his hand over Anya's long and free hair. "You and Lily should come over this week." He offered before Vlad returned to the parlor Dmitry himself had just stormed out of.

"Of course, Dmitry. You just have to let me cook again. That soup you made last week would have been bad even in Russia." Vlad joked, before disappearing out the door.

He could feel Anya's warm tears against his skin, soaking through his shirt. "come on. Lets get out of here." He threw her coat over her shoulders, pulling her out the front door. "And we're stopping to get you one of those chocolate cakes on the way home."

**I know Nana was quite cruel here, however, I wanted there to be tension addressed between her and Dima that has been brewing for quite some time. Poor Anya just got caught in the cross fire.**

**Let me know any requests as usual!**


	3. 7 months-Alexei

**I'm back and I still own nothing! Shocker.**

"Anastasia! You absolutely should not be carrying her around in your state. You should be in bed, Resting." Maria Fyedorovna lectured, watching her granddaughter move about the parlor room with her great-granddaughter clinging to her.

"Nana, she's my baby, I can't just neglect her. And besides, tomorrow's her birthday. I want to enjoy my baby while she still is one." Anya sighed, rubbing circles on her daughter's back. The one year old clung to her, arms wrapped tightly around her neck. She had become particularly clingy as of late, her tiny legs dangling on either side of her mother's stomach. Anya, now seven months pregnant with her second child, paced back and forth with her daughter. "She really just likes to be held."

"And there are plenty of houseworkers who could hold her. Or what about her father? Certainly he could spend some time caring for his daughter." Maria scoffed, shaking her head as she brought the china tea cup to her lips. She loved her granddaughter, but she could have so much more than the meager life she and Dmitry made for themselves. "you'll spoil her if you never put her down."

"Her _father_ spends all evening with her, Nana. He's working right now.. I'm not spoiling her Nana, she's just a little baby. And besides, she won't even anyone else hold her right now. I'm all she wants." To make a point, Anya gently pried the little hands of her daughter from around her neck. She gently sat her on the sofa, watching her reaction. "I know you don't like to believe it but he's a good father."

Within minutes, Maria's thumb was out of her mouth, lip quivering, and tears filling her bright blue eyes. She reached her hands out to Anya, grabbing at her with her fists. "Mama.." She cried in almost a warning, before actual cries escaped her tiny body.

Anya scooped her back up within seconds, soothing her back to her state of calm. "See Nana? She just really wants me. She'll be one tomorrow...How can I deny her now?" She argued, laying her head ontop of Maria's. Their blonde hair blended perfectly into each other's, and Anya hummed to her daughter- it soothed both her, and her over-active second child.

"Dima will be home soon, I can ask Lily if she's ready to go home." Anya decided- she absolutely adored her Nana. But she was tired, mentally and emotionally, and most of all physically. All she really wanted was to lay down with her daughter and sleep.

As if on cue, Lily appeared from the kitchen. "If Dmitry will be home soon, that means Vlad will be too." Lily went to assist the dowager, aiding in getting her coat on.

"Very well. Take me home Lily." Maria stood shakily, grabbing onto her cane. "I expect you will be having something for her tomorrow, yes?" She approached Anya, who kissed both her cheeks.

"Me, Dima, and Maria will come over in the morning, yes, Nona." She promised, before turning to Lily.

Lily kissed Anya's forehead, patting her cheek gently. She directed her attention to Maria, kissing the smiling baby's cheek as well. "Go rest, Princess." She whispered to her. "You're tired, I know." Lily wrapped her in a one-armed hug. "We'll see you tomorrow. Vlad is OVERJOYED that it's little princess's birthday."

Lily patted her arm before linking her arm with the dowager's. Anya gave a thankful smile, leading them towards the door. At the same moment that she went to shut the door behind them, Dmitry made it to the top step.

He had a wide smile on his face, wordlessly wrapping his arms around her and pulling her closer to him. Working his way around both their current and future child, he managed to kiss Anya, holding her to his chest. "Hi." He greeted her, resting his forehead against hers. "How are my favorite 2.5 girls today?"

Anya gave a tired smile, just leaning against him. "I'm tired. Maria's tired. And the other one could be a boy, you know. And my back is absolutely killing me."

"I'm right until proven wrong." Dmitry teased, taking off his coat and shoes by the door. "give her here. Go lay down." He didn't let her argue before prying Maria from her arms, letting out a sigh of relief when she stayed asleep. "You look exhausted."

"Come with me?" Anya requested, her bottom lip out in a pout. She could easily just go back to sleep- she hadn't ever put on real clothes besides a sweater over her nightgown. "She's going to wake up and-"

"Mama?" Maria lifted her head from Dmitry's shoulder on cue, looking around in sleepy confusion. "Mama!" She cheered, reaching a tired arm out to her.

Anya sighed, holding her arms out, "It's fine, I'll take her.."

He wordlessly grabbed her hand, walking her down the short hallway to their bedroom. "Lay down, please."

She was too tired to argue, practically just crawling into the soft white blankets that covered their bed. Just as she got comfortable, she opened one eye to see Maria crawling towards her. Just out of her sight she knew Dima was changing into something comfortable, not covered in the flour from his job.

"Beebee?" Maria cocked her head, sitting up an staring at her mother. She put a tiny hand on Anya's rounded torso, leaning her little head down to rest her cheek against her mother, "Beebee?"

"Yes, honey, that's the baby." Anya reached her hand up, to run her fingers through Maria's curls. As if on cue she felt a little jab against where Maria's cheek rested.

Maria looked up, wonder in her blue eyes. For a moment, Anya wondered if she was looking at herself as a baby- Dmitry always pointed out how much they looked alike, right down to the freckles along their noses.

"….mama beebee?" Maria questioned, her face back in it's prior spot.

"Yes, darling, they're saying hi to you." She promised, her breath catching as Maria gave the spot a kiss, before crawling back into Anya's awaiting arms. Maria buried her little face against Anya's chest, her tiny thumb going to her mouth.

For those few moments, her eyes were only for her little girl. Brilliant and inquisitive and beautiful. She watched as her eyes stopped fluttered, indicating she was asleep. Anya spent a few moments marveling at her blonde eyelashes when she heard a sniffle.

Anya looked up, to see Dmitry sliding into bed beside her, trying to stifle his emotions.

"Were you _crying_, Dima?" Anya teased, reaching over to wipe her thumb over his cheekbone. "you were! What's wrong?"

Dmitry just shook his head, looking at their daughter. "we didn't mess her up."

"well we have another chance on that in a few months…"

"I mean it. She's sweet and happy and healthy and everything I never expected I'd be able to say. Anya, I used to think I'd die before I ever had a kid. Kids were a liability. They didn't make it long in the streets of Russia. They didn't make it long at all in Russia. And here she is, She's okay." He ran his own hand over her little head, only making her bury her face tighter against Anya. "And she looks just like you. It's a bonus. I just love her, and I love you. We've had a whole child for a whole year. Three years ago we were on the street, and now we have a one year old. It's nothing short of a miracle."

Anya pulled him closer, burying her face in his neck. "We love you." She promised, breathing in the scent of him deeply. "And since you love us so much, you'll take care of her when she wakes up, right?"

"Anything for my girl."

**Whats that? Anya and Dima having a moment of mindless fluff? That's my game.**


	4. Month 1 (and a half)

**This is my FAVORITE scene I've written in a while and I am so so excited to share it with you all. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing at all.**

"Anastasia just… hold your breath. Do not breathe." Lily held her fingers over the top of the dress, tugging roughly at the zipper. Lily and the seamstress made eye contact, the latter shaking her head in dissent.

"I'm _Trying, _Lily!" Anya whimpered, holding the white dress as tight to her body as she could manage. "Can they take it out a little- OW!?"

"You get married in two weeks, Anya, we can't work miracles." Lily shook head, finally managing to get the zipper sealed. "Don't be a baby. You look beautiful."

Anya quite literally could not breathe, holding the back of the chair to keep her upright. "I can't wear this all night Lily-"

"Sure you can. There's two weeks. You'll cut out the chocolate pastries, and we'll add a corset back instead of the zipper." Lily patted her gently on the arm, catching a glimpse of her in the mirror.

"Lily.. I can't just cut out the chocolate.." Anya began, blue eyes going wide in the mirror, catching Lily's.

Lily disregarded, waving her off. "You'll be fine! Maybe we'll add some fabric in the chest too…"

"Lily, I really don't think anything is going to stop this for a while.." Anya grabbed Lily's hand, squeezing it gently, she caught her eyes again, pleading for her to realize. "Sophia, could you give us a minute?" She addressed the seamstress, who gave a little curtsey and ducked away.

"Nonsense, just cut back on the champagne too."

"Lily, I'm already doing that. Can't I get another Dress."

"Another Dress? Anya, you have two weeks!" She looked in horror, resting her head on Anya's shoulder. "You look beautiful, theres no reason to be nervous-"

Lily gasped openly, her eyes shooting open. She stepped back, looking Anya over frantically. "Oh my GOD. You're pre-"

"Please don't tell anyone!" Anya dropped to her knees, begging before Lily. "Noone can know until after-"

"TELL anyone, Anya? I'd give your grandmother a heart attack. She's going to have my head if she ever finds out I knew about this. Oh my god.. the heir to the Romanov fortune conceived as a bastard. This is it. This is how I die." Lily was fanning herself, pacing back and forth. "Is this why you rushed this wedding? Does Dmitry KNOW?"

"Lily!" Anya groaned, pushing up on her hands to stand up. "We just have to keep it a secret for a few more weeks, then we'll act like I got pregnant on the honeymoon and-"

"people can do math, Anya! People talk. If your MOTHER knew, god rest her soul, Anastasia, she'd send you to the convent in a second. Alexandra's daughter.. " Lily lead herself to a seat, wiping her tears out from her eyes. "So he DOES know, and he's conspiring with you?"

"Listen, this is not that hard to believe. We knew it could happen and-" Anya sat beside her, taking her hand.

"no no NO, I do not want to know about your.. whoring with Dmitry Sudayev. If I know and the dowager learns I am toast." Lily was nearly hyperventilating at this point.

"We got married months ago, Lily. The night after I left the press conference. The very next day. So no, I'm not _whoring _myself out! I married him. And we're doing it again for the public and Nana.. But we're not unhappy, Lily. He's gotten a job and we have our home, and he's going to be a wonderful father." Anya squeezed her hand gently. "we're happy, even if we have to be so in private." She rested her hand on her cheek, staring at the woman who had become like an aunt to her. "Vlad was there. He was there that morning when we got married. You mean he didn't tell you? We were sure he couldn't keep a secret from you.."

"Anastasia I'm glad you're happy but that doesn't change that your Nana is not going to be please- VLAD KNEW?" She shrieked, standing dramatically. "That man, he is absolutely infuriating. Why didn't he tell me? He tells me everything-"

"We didn't want you to have a secret from Nana. I wanted her to have this for me, because she missed the opportunity for everything from my sisters. And so If we just hide this little secret then tell her as soon as we can…we don't rob her of anything else." Anya tried to explain, standing with some difficulties due to the dress. "Please Lily, just help me give her this day."

Lily wiped at her eyes again, crossing her arms over her chest. "How far along do you think you are?"

A dreamy smile came to Anya's face, her eyes drifting down. "a month? Month and a half, I think. We were usually so careful, but then there was just this night in a bathtub and-"

Lily cut her off quickly. "No, I do NOT want to hear about your lives behind closed doors-Six weeks? Anya, you expect everyone to believe that you're having a baby two months early? Only seven months after you're pregnant-" She turned Anya quickly. "That's going to raise suspicion, you know." Lily started to unzip the dress. "you can NOT stay In this dress any longer, not in your state. I'll have it altered."

Almost immediately Anya took a deep breath in relief at her newly freed ribcage. "They can talk. But there's nothing that can be done now." She stepped out of the dress, instead pulling on her simple crème dress she had on earlier.

"I had five siblings." Anya recounted as she sat on her sofa, taking a handful of chocolates from her bowl. Now that Lily knew, she could at least eat whatever she wanted. "And then, like it was nothing, I was alone. The only survivor of my family. And then I had Nana, and you, and Vlad, and Dima." She recounted, in a voice that was airy and filled with reflection. "And now, I won't be the last one. Nana always mentions it, you know, about how I'm the last hope for carrying on the legacy of my family. But that's not even what it's about. If I'm lucky, I'll be half the mother mine was. I'm just so happy." She admitted, pulling a blanket over her legs. "Dmitry and I both raised ourselves on the streets. And now.. now we get to do it for real."

Lily sat across from her, in the accompanying loveseat chair. "you'll be a wonderful mother, Anya. And eventually...your grandmother will acknowledge the truth. But we need to protect her from it for now. Especially if you don't reveal your secret wedding. God, that would kill her."

"I expect I'll name it after her. Maria Dmitrievna has a nice ring to it, don't you think? Or Alexei."

"You know, using too many Romanov names will put up red flags."

"Well, I'm only having one." Anya pointed out, throwing a few pieces of chocolate in her mouth.

"If you're anything like your mother you'll have plenty more than one. I'm calling it now, you'll have two in under two years." Lily had brought a glass of vodka with her before she sat down, which she now drank liberally. "I can hear the excitement at the Neva club Anastasia. The news of a new Romanov heir.." 

"That's NOT what this baby is, Lily. And the Neva club won't know for six more weeks, correct?" Anya probed, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course not." Lily toasted herself, throwing the rest of her glass back as Anya rolled her eyes.

"does Vlad know this secret too?"

"God no, Dima wanted to tell him. We all know he can't keep a secret though." Anya shook her head. "I told Dima he could tell him at the wedding, though. He's as close as Dima has to family, you know?"

"We're all family now, Anya. Just.. family keeping a secret from the matriarch."

**I have waited for this piece for so long, It's my favorite of this series.**

**Please let me know any requests!**


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